Course marker for tricot and the like flat-bed knitting machines



May 23, 1950 c. R. ANDERSON 2,508,348

COURSE MARKER FOR TRICOT AND THE LIKE FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 11-, 1949 N WW AM P l- MM yfl MB C Ha I ATToR/vEv s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April ll, 1949 S m n 5 N m R m m E w T K m 20E W D T 35 u9 mum N N M A A R u \v W p R Y. WW m B VV w 9 k @V ks 9V wmv 3 hw a 3 V 1 NW kl mm 998w uEmE 1 x T wzm y 1950 c. R. ANDERSON 2,508,348

COURSE MARKER FOR TRICOT AND THE LIKE FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 11, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 6? 5 6 $17 58 62 \L L -59 ,T:{- 64 INVENTOR. CARROLL RA/wERso/v ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COURSE MARKER FOR TRICOT AND THE LIKE FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINES Application April 11, 1949, Serial No. 86,613

8 Claims.

This invention relates to course markers for use in connection with flat bed knitting machines, such as the tricot knitting machine or Raschel knitting machine. In machines of this character, which are Well known in the textile art, the fabric is knitted as a flat piece, as distinguished from a circular, tubular fabric. The fiat bed knitting machines are widely used in the textile art for manufacturing knitted fabrics of acceptable design for use in the manufacture of undergarments, girdles and many other fabric garments.

In the knitting of flat fabrics on flat bed ma chines, such as the tricot or Raschel flat bed machines, the fabric after being knitted is very stretchy and can be pulled and stretched either crosswise of the length of the fabric or lengthwise of the fabric and can be pulled or stretched along either edge without measurably stretching the opposite edge, due to the great flexibility of the knitted fabric itself. Furthermore, in examining many of the finer gauge fabrics, it is almost impossible to trace the course of any particular row of knitted stitches across the fabric, due to the fineness of the thread used in knitting the material.

In the usual manufacturing operation after the fabric has been knitted-as a flat sheet, it is folded so as to bring the opposite edges of the flat fabric into juxtaposition and the edges are then stitched so as to form the fiat sheet into a tubular composite which is then subsequently manufactured into garments of varying designs. In sewing the flat sheet of knitted fabric into a folded or tubular composite the operator must maintain the edges under some tension so as to producea well stitched seam. In st tching the tubular composite from the flat knitted fabric the operator thus tensions both edges of the garment simultaneously as the folded composite is run through the edge stitching machine. 'Since the fabric itself is very elastic in all directions, it is easily possible for the operator to stretch one edge of the originally flat fabric more than the other and thus cause portions of the fabric to; be stitched together in folded relation which are not of the same transverse lines knit across the fabric. In other words, a single line of knit forv best results should be laid down so that the single lines at the edges of the fabric meet when the fabric is folded, but due to the stretchiness of the fabric this is almost impossible toobtain by visual inspection.

In order to provide some degree of control on the amount of stretching of the fabric and so as to allow corresponding knit lines across the fabric sewn together and thus produce a tubular composite of undefiected character, it has heretofore been customary for the operator of the knitting machine to use a marking pencil and to mark opposite edges of the fabric as near as possible simultaneously as the fabric is produced on the fiat bed knitting machine. These hand methods of producing marks upon opposite edges of the fabric have been of some assistance in producing folded or tubular composites, but have been subject to the objection that the operator cannot ever produce an exactly simultaneous-marking at opposite edges of the fabric due to the fact that the fabric is knitted very rapidly and also because the fabric is so Wide and is knitted so fast that the marks cannot simultaneously be placed on the fabric by one operator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a marking device for fiat bed knitting machines so as to produce simultaneous marks on opposite edges of the fabric as a guide to subsequent fabrication of the fiat knitted fabric into tubular or folded composites where the edges are sewn.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic course marking machine which is not subject to the vagaries of operator control.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic course marking machine capable of producing course marks simultaneously and at uniform intervals along opposite edges of the knitted fabric.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic course marker for flat bed knitting machines.

It isa further object of the invention to provide an automatic course marker for fiat bed knitting machines; such as the tricot or Raschel types which are controlled entirely by the ma? chine and are not subject to the vagaries of operator actuation.

' Other and further objects of the invention are those inherent in the apparatus herein illustrated, described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings in which corresponding numerals refer to the same parts and. in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a representative type of flat bed knitting machine with certain parts removed for clarity of illustration;

Figure 2 is a front view in a somewhat downward direction, as indicated by the arrow 2- of Figure 1, showing the course markers of the instant invention, together with-a portion of the fabric, the central portion of the fabric shown in Figure 2 having been removed so as to permit an enlarged view for greater detail;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the course marker of the instant invention;

Figure 4 is a partially schematic view showing the wiring controls for the course marker of the instant invention, together with certain of the take-up rolls and metering rolls of the knitting machine;

Figure 5 illustrates a portion of tubular fabric sewn together and utilizing the course markers of the instant invention, whereas Figure 6 illustrates a portion of tubular fabric wherein no course markers are utilized and illustrating the stretch of the fabric producing thereby a nonuniform or warped tubular composite.

Referring to the drawing the flat bed knitting machine with which the instant invention is used is illustrated in Figure lwherein to shows the side frame members of the machine. The ma chine carries a pair of yarn rolls I! and 12, each of which may be 5 to 6 feet in length, or even more, and representing many hundreds of yarn ends for each roll. The yarns used are very fine, even filamentous in character for many fine knitted fabrics. The details in the knitting machine need not be described here, since per so they form no part of the instant invention, it being sufficient to state that the yarn from roll H is carried through suitable mechanisms :3 and I4 and thence along course l5 and through the thread guides 16. Theyarn ends from roll 12, which likewise may be many hundreds in number, travel from the roll {'2 and thence through the mechanisms l? and i8 constituting a part of the; knitting machine, and then travel as parallel strands along the course 19 to the thread guides 20.

Referring particularly to Figure 1 the yarn ends 19 which pass through the thread guide 20 and the corresponding yarn ends which pass through the thread guide It are guided and controlled thereby and cooperate with a mechanism 21, which is known as a sinker mechanism, and with the needle mechanism 2223 consisting of a needle body 22 and needle tongu 23. These various knitting mechanisms I6, 23, 2!, 22 and 23, collectively designated herein by the letter K, serve to knit the yarn from the rolls H and i2 into a flat knitted fabric F which leaves the knitting mechanism K and proceeds as a fiat knitted fabric F which moves along the course 24' to a tension roller 25 and thence, after passing over the tension roller, the fabric passes to a take-up roller 26 where the flat knitted fabric is wound up as a roll until the roll is full and ready to be removed from the machine. Along the course 24, at each edge of the fabric, there are positioned the course marking devices of the instant invention, of which device 30 is shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 2 the yarn strands l9 and 15 from the rolls H and f2, collectively designated, reach the knitting mechanism K where the yarn strands are converted into a flat knitted fabric F' extending across the width W of the machine. In Figure 2 the central part of the fabric has been eliminated from the drawing so as to permit a larger and clearer illustration of the course marking mechanisms 30 and 3!, but it will be understood that the fabric is as wide as the machine ranging from 4 to 6 feet in width and even wider, depending upon the knitting machine being used. After leaving the knitting As shown in Figure 2 the course markers 30 at the right-hand side of the fabric and 3| at the left hand side of the fabric are positioned along the edges of the fabric straight across from each other and comparatively close to the knitting mechanism K. the fabric moves from the knitting mechanisms K it is simultaneously marked periodical-1y by the course marking mechanisms 3i? and 3! which are directly opposite each other along the line 29.

The two course marking mechanisms shown in Figure 2 are identical in design except that one is a right mechanism and the other is a left mechanism. Hence, only one need be described in detail. Referring to Figure 2 and particularly to the course marking mechanism 33, the mechanism consists of a bracket 33 which is attached to the framework of the flat bed knitting machine. The bracket 33 has a vertical journal portion 3 having a vertical aperture therethrough, through which a stem 31 that supports ti course marking mechanism is adapted to slide rotate. The stem 31 at its upper portion is arged at the boss 38 and the bracket portion 34 is provided with one or more upwardly extending tongues and the boss 38 is provided with corresponding notches 35 into which the tongues are adapted to engage for holding the boss 38 from rotation relative to the bracket 33 with the course marker in active position. At the bottom end of the stem 3'! there is a washer 39 and between it and the lower surface of the journal 34 there is provided a compression spring 40 which tends to push down on the washer and hence hold the stem 3? firmly downwardly in the journal 34, thus holding the notches 3t firmly in engagement with the upwardly extending tongues 35. However, by lifting up on the mechanism the spring 49 is compressed and notch 36 is lifted off tongue 35, thus permitting the entire course marker to be rotated forwardly for servicing and repair. To the upper portion of the boss 38 there attached the platform piece 4| which has an upstanding bracket at 43 that serves to support the solenoid winding 42. On the bracket 4! there is also an upstanding member 32 which is thickened at 45 so as to present a bearing surface against which the lever 46 is adapted to engage and be steadied, the lever being pivoted to the pin M. The lower end of the lever 4-6 is pivotally attached at 48' to the core 44 of the solenoid so that when the winding of the solenoid 42' is energized, the solenoid core 64 will be drawn into the winding and hence will move the bottom end of the lever 43 to the right, as shown in Figure 3, thus causing the upper end of the lever 45 to be moved opposite to the arrow 53. The lever 43 is normally drawn in th direction of arrow 53 by means of a spring as that is attached at 58 to the bracket &3 and attached to the aperture 5| in upper end of the lever 43.

To the upper end of the lever 46 there is pivotally attached the arm 5'! which is free to move about the pivot 54. A spring 62 is provided between the arm 5! and the arm 45 so as to hold the lever 5'! downwardly. At the outer end of the lever 51 there is a downwardly extending portion 58 which serves to support the roller 59 on the pivot pin 65. The member 63 is a combined platform'and ink retainer of the mechanism'having an ink well portion at 66 in which there is a felt pad saturated with washable ink. The outer end 60 of the platform 63 has a flat surface onto which the roller 59 is adapted to move outwardly when the solenoid 42 is energized. The energized condition of the solenoid. and the consequent actuation of the inking roller 59 is shown in dotted lines-in Figure 3. The full lines show the deenergized (retracted) position.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the course marking mechanisms 30 and 3| are mounted on the frame of the knitting machine along the course 24 of the knitted fabric F and the course markers are positioned so that the outwardly extending flat part 60 of the course marker 30 serves as a flat area over which the edge 28 of the fabric is adapted to run as the fabric moves from the knit-.- ting mechanism K towards the take-up roller 25, Figure 1. Similarly, at the left-hand side of the machine, the flat portion of the course marker 3| is situated so that the edge 21 of .the fabric likewise runs over the flat area 10. It will be noted that the two fiat areas 60 and I0 of the two course markers 30 and 3 5, respectively, are directly opposite each other along the line 29 which is at right angles to the direction of movement of the fiat knitted fabric. 1

By circuit arrangements hereinafter described in greater detail the course marker solenoids are simultaneously energized and upon energization each inking roller, viz. inking roller 59 of the course marker 30, and the corresponding inking roller 19 of the course marker 3! are simultaneously propelled from their inking pans where the the course marker solenoids are simultaneously energized.

Referring to Figure 4! there is shown a wiring diagram for the course marker mechanism. The take-up roll serves as a metering roll since it applies tension uniformly to the fabric and draws the fabric from the knitting mechanism K to the tension roller 25. At the end of the tension roller there is provided a disk 12 which rotates with the roller and serves frictionally to engage the disk 13 of the winding roller 26. On the disk 12 there is provided a cam at 74 which serves once each revolution to engage a roller 15 on the end of the switch arm 16, thus causing the switch H to be moved from open to closed position whenever the cam It engages the roller 75. A circuit is provided from L1 through the switch Ti and thence over line 3! to junction 82 whence the circuit divides and continues through the winding 42 of the course marker to junction 84. From junction 32 the circuit of line 8| also extends to the winding 85 of the course marker 3| and thence continues over line 83 to junction 84 and to power supply L2. Accordingly, as the tension roller 25 rotates and continues to draw the flat knitted fabric from the knitting mechanism K, the cam M, once for each revolution of the roller 25, causes the closure of switch ll, thus completing a circuit from line L1 to each of the solenoids 42 and 85, in parallel, and thence to supply line L2. Accordingly, every time the cam I' l engages the roller 15 of the switch I! the circuit is closed and both course marker mechanisms are energized and simultaneously mark the edges 21 and 28 of the fabric with spots of washable ink which can easily be removed from the fabric in subsequent wash- Referring to Figure 2 it will be observed that spots of ink have been applied to the edges 21 and 28 of the fabric F as indicated at 86-81, 88-89 and 90-9I. The spots 86 and 8'! are directly opposite each other along the line 92. Similarly, the spots 88 and 89 are directly opposite eaclr other along the line 93 and the spots 90 and 9I are directly opposite each other along the line 94. The distance D between the lines 92 and 93 is equal to one turn of the tension roller 25 and hence the distances D between successive opposite course markers B58'!, 88-89 and till-9| are uniform.

The lines 92, 93 and 94 being exactly transverse to the fabric accordingly follow the line of knitted stitches across the fabric which were formed during the knitting of the fabric. Accordingly, when the fabric is later on folded and sewed into a tubular composite it is only necessary to match the spots and 81 with each other and B8 and 30 to gether and so on as the fabric is sewn, in order to have corresponding lines of stitches 92, 93 and 94 attached together in the tubular composite. This is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein a tubular composite generally designated T is illustrated. Thus, it will be observed that in Figure 5 the flat knitted fabric F has been folded or formed into a tube and that the spot 85 has been matched with 31, 08 has been matched with 89 and has been matched with 9|. It will also be noted that the edges 28 and 2'! are brought neatly into juxtaposition as sewn. In forming the tubular composite the operator holds the edges 2'! and 28 of the flat piece together and as the sewing progresses matches the spots Eli-81 together and 8889 together and so on. Thus, in the tubular composite which is finally formed by this operation, the line of stitching 92 goes directly around the tubular composite. Similarly, the lines 93 and 04 go directly around the tubular fabric and are not rnis-matched.

A tubular fabric of mis-matched or warped character is illustrated in Figure 6, wherein it will be noted that the fabric F has no spots marked along opposite edges of the fabric. Thus. in the fabric shown in Figure 6 the edge I00 is superimposed upon the edge IIlI, but there are no spots along the edge showing corresponding courses of stitches across the fabric. In the tubular composite shown in Figure 6, the actual lines of stitches across the fabric may be illustrated by the dotted lines I02 and I03 and it will be observed that the ends of line I 02 are not matched together, being terminated at I04 on the edge I00 and I05 on the edge It. Likewise, the line of stitches across the fabric represented by the line I03 is also not matched as shown by the termination I06 on the edge I00 and the terminal point I01 on the edge I01. ihis is not an unusual condition where course marking is not used because in stitching the tubular composite the operator has no way of knowing whether the two edges are uniformly tensioned. Thus for line IOI it is possible that the edge I00 has been tensioned more than the edge IDI as the stitching progresses from right to left in Figure 6, therefore causing a displacement between I04 and I05. Similarly, at line I03 the edge IOI has been less tensioned, thus causing a displacement in the opposite sense. When tubular composites are thus made, they do not have satisfactory draping and handling qualities and garments made therefrom are inferior to garments made from tubular composites in which the lines-of stitches are matched evenly around the tube as the tubes are sewn.

As many apparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be'understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments herein.

What I claim is:

1. A course arker for flat bed krfittin machines having yarn supply, a knitting 1. nism and a tension roll for moving the .t knitted fabric in relatively flat cond $011 away from the knitting mechanism, the improvement comprising a pair of course marking mechanisms situated at oppos te edges of the fabric substant at. positions corresponding to a knitted course across: the fabric, each course marking mechanism including means .lror applying s on edges of the fabric the me actuated, and means for periodical; taneously actuating said 001. anism's for simultaneously applying marks at on posite edges of the fabric along a corresponding course of knitted stitches across the fabric.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characteri'zed in that said course marking mechanisms include means for applying ink marks at opposite edges of the fabric.

3. A course marker for fiat bed knitting machines having a flat bed knitting mechanism for producing a width of fiat knitted fabric and a tension roll'spaced from the knitting mechanism for withdrawing the fiat knitted fabric from the knitting mechanism, comprising marking devices positioned adjacent opposite edges of the fabric along a line extending at right angles to the length of the fabric, each course marking device including means for applying a mark to the adjacent edge of the fabric when the course marker is actuated, and means for simultaneously and periodically actuating said course markers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further character ized in that means is provided on the tension roll for periodically and simultaneously actuating the course markers.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further characterized in that the course markers are simultaneously actuated and the edges of the fiat knitted fabric marked uniform spacings along the length of the knitted fabric.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 further characterized in that the course markers are electrically operated and are simultaneously energized for marking the knitted fabric by means of a control switch connected to the course marker which control switch is mounted so as to be actuated periodically by the tension roll of the knitting machine.

7. A course marker for flat bed knitting machines wherein a fiat strip of knitted fabric is produced, a track, means mounting the track so that. it extends a short distance against an edge of the flat strip of fabric with the fabric edge running thereover, a marking roller, means for moving said roller along the track from a position where it is out of engagement with the edge of the fabric to a position where it engages the edge of the fabric and for retracting said roller from such engagement, and means on the track for inking the roller when it is out of engage ment with the fabric.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further characterized in that said means for moving said roller is an electrically actuated solenoid.

CARROLL R. ANDERSONJ REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,390,660 Weinerth Sept. 13, 1921 1,757,762 Jennings June 24, 1930 2,151,570 Shoults Mar. 21, 1939 2,247,716 Shellenberg July 1, 1941 2,298,888 Kaufmann Oct. 13, 1942 2,321,010 Cohn June 8, 1943 

